The present invention relates to merchandise worn by humans. More particularly, the present invention relates to merchandise worn by humans for therapeutic reasons. Even more particularly, the present inventions relates to merchandise having magnetic structure that is worn by humans for therapeutic reasons.
Acupuncture is an original Chinese practice of needle puncturing the body at specific points on the body to cure disease, or relieve pain. The specific points are well documented and known to practitioners in the art, and have been used in the related practice of shiatsu. Shiatsu pertains to the massage therapy applied with the fingers to those specific areas of the body used in acupuncture, also termed accupressure. Magnetic healing/therapy is another related practice that has utilized the same specific points on the body known to acupuncture and accupressure practitioners.
The magnetic therapy practice has caused the development of products with permanent magnets distributed on the products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,219 teaches a sleeping mattress structure provided with permanent magnets each having a magnetic field strength of at least 850 gauss which are disposed on the mattress for maximum magnetic curing effect. U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,560 teaches a method for fixing the permanent magnets to bed covering. Merchandise worn by humans having magnetic structure has also been developed. For example, Japan Life Products 1992 Catalog, at page 10 and 11, show belts, elbow and knee supporters, wrist and foot support massager provided with magnetic structure. Similarly, OMS Medical Supplies 1992-93 Catalog, at pages 59-67, shows humanwear merchandise provided with magnetic structure. The OMS merchandise includes head bands, vests, belts, wrist bands, supports for the elbows, arms, legs, knee and ankle, and also necklaces.
The apparent premise for the merchandise provided with the magnetic structure is to place a permanent magnet such that body cells are exposed to a low-level magnetic field emitted from the permanent magnets. The magnetic exposure is believed to assist stressed cells in restoring their correct balance of electrical charge for performing more efficiently, see undated article by Japan Life Products, entitled: "Spreading Good Sleep Around the World". The magnetic exposure when concentrated at the same specific points on the body known to acupuncture and accupressure practitioners is a developing therapeutic practice. The practitioner is limited by lack of variety in the merchandise provided with the magnetic structure to carry out the strategic magnetic exposure. The limitation has resulted in the practitioner having to use discrete permanent magnets secured to the particular body point to effect the magnetic exposure. The permanent magnets are commercially available in a variety of shapes and magnetic strengths, see for example OMS Medical Supplies 1992-93 Catalog, at pages 74-75. The user of the discrete permanent magnet has to generally tape the magnet onto the particular body point being treated. The taped magnets are not particularly fashionable, and are often times not the best means of securing the magnet to the body part, for example onto hair at the soft spot of the human head, or when several permanent magnets are required to produce the maximum magnetic exposure.
Therefore, a need is seen to exist for a larger variety of specialized merchandise provided with the magnetic structure that is worn by humans for magnetic exposure therapeutic reasons.
In particular, a need is seen to exist for merchandise in the form of torso-worn garments provided with the magnetic structure that corresponds to selected accupressure regions and points on the human torso for effecting therapeutic magnetic exposure when worn by a human user.
A particular need is seen to exist for merchandise in the form of gloves that have magnetic structure that corresponds to selected acupressure regions and points on the human hand for effecting therapeutic magnetic exposure when worn by a human user.
In general, a need is seen to exist for a larger variety of merchandise in the form of gear for the human head and body appendages that has magnetic structure that corresponds to selected acupressure regions and points on the human head and appendages for effecting therapeutic magnetic exposure when worn by a human user.